Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 823 results

Job 32:1--37:24

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... is restrained in speech, but the fool speaks many words (Prov. 10:19; Eccles. 10:14). In effect, Elihu insists that Job is not at all wise but that his empty prattle evidences he is indeed a fool. How this charge must cut Job to the heart! Theological Insights In the Bible, the night is often depicted as a time fraught with danger (Song 3:8), so it can prompt discouragement and despair (Ps. 30:5). However, as 35:10 indicates, God can give songs in the night as he provides protection for his people (Ps. 121 ...

2. Job Hears the Whispers of God’s Works

Job 26:1--31:40

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... teacher of humans. To have a seat in the gate is to enjoy a privilege reserved for the most prominent citizens (Gen. 19:1; Prov. 31:23), so it reflects Job’s lofty status as “the greatest man among all the people of the East” (Job 1:3). Interpretive Insights 29:2 How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me! The terms “months” and “days” may indicate the general length of Job’s ordeal. He counts the time not in hours or in years, but in days and months. His ...

3. Paul, Phoebe, Patronage, and Spain

Romans 16:1-27

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... 1:22–23; Col. 1:18). Third, the ekkl?sia is God’s congregation (e.g., 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1). We probably are to gather from these first two points that the universal church is manifested in the local congregation. Interpretive Insights 16:1–2 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church . . . I ask you to receive her. We follow the three components of an ancient letter of recommendation noted above: introduction, credentials, desired action. First, Paul introduces Phoebe (16:1a), the ...

4. New Dominion as a Blessing of the New Covenant: Dead to Sin

Romans 6:1-14

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... for 6:1–13 by way of contrast. The pattern is the same pattern that we saw relative to 5:12–21: law leads to sin, which leads to death.1By way of contrast, grace leads to righteousness, which leads to life. Theological Insights Two theological insights nicely cover Romans 6:8–14. First, the Christian is in union with Christ through the Spirit. Such a connection amounts to the believer having a spiritual parallel life: we are simultaneously on this earth while spiritually in Christ in heaven (compare 6 ...

5. Job Presents Evidence against the Retribution Principle

Job 12:1--14:22

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... be a long-delayed punishment for his sins as a young man, which God has recorded and remembered. Later on, in 31:35, Job will use the same metaphor of writing, as he writes and signs his confession of innocence and places his case in God’s hands. Theological Insights In 13:21 Job calls on God to withdraw his hand from him. Throughout the Bible, the hand of God is an image that speaks of his powerful activity. God can use his hand to bring blessing, or God’s hand can be the agency of his judgment and ...

6. The Day of Atonement: Preparation

Leviticus 16:1-34

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... seven times. This is done for the priest or the people in front of the curtain of the sanctuary near the altar of incense (Lev. 4:6, 17). 16:20 bring forward the live goat. The “live goat” here is the “scapegoat” (Lev. 16:8–10, 26; see “Additional Insights” following the unit on Lev. 16:1–14). 16:21–22 lay both hands on the head of the live goat. One hand is leaned by the worshiper on the burnt offering (Lev. 1:4), the fellowship offering (Lev. 3:2, 8, 13), and the sin offering (Lev ...

7. The Gospel of God in Christ through Paul

Romans 1:1-17

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... :1; 51:2). Paul is an apostle, a sent one (compare 1:1 with Isa. 6:8). Paul is sent to share good news (compare 1:1–7 with Isa. 40:9). Paul is sent to the Gentiles (compare 1:5–7 with Isa. 42:6–7). Interpretive Insights 1:1 Paul, a servant . . . an apostle . . . set apart for the gospel of God. Paul provides three descriptions of himself. First, he is a servant or slave (doulos) of Jesus Christ. Besides the demeaning connotation of doulos, Paul also may have intended a positive allusion to the Old ...

8. The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-31

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... Ishtar Gate. This is, quite likely, the room used by Belshazzar for this banquet. Along one of the walls is a niche for the king’s throne. Elsewhere, this room is adorned with brightly colored enameled bricks and white plaster.2 Interpretive Insights 5:10 The queen . . . came into the banquet hall. With the wives of Belshazzar already at the banquet (5:3), the chaotic uproar that had followed the appearance of the “hand” and the Babylonian sages’ failure spreads quickly through the palace complex ...

9. Yahweh Speaks as the Master Teacher

Job 38:1--41:34

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... , kings are depicted as hunting wild animals, including the aurochs (NIV: “wild ox”) referred to in Job 39:9–12. The aurochs was never tamed before it became extinct about four hundred years ago, but it became the ancestor of the domesticated cattle of today. Interpretive Insights 39:1–4 Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? The mountain goat here is the ibex that today can be seen in the En Gedi area of Israel. It is an elusive animal that can be observed only from a distance, and it ...

10. “Even When I Am Old and Gray, Do Not Forsake Me, My God”

Psalm 71:1-24

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... with age, our spiritual inclination is to pray that God will not forsake us. Understanding the Text Psalm 71 has no title, evoking the idea that Psalms 70 and 71 might be viewed as a single unit. In view of their verbal affinities (see “Additional Insights: Corresponding Verbal and Thematic Connections in Psalms 69–72,” following the unit on Ps. 72), the latter psalm, perhaps composed by David himself in his old age, was likely adapted by the compiler of Book 2 to provide a transition to the new era ...

11. God Subjugates Judah under Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... appoint Zedekiah as king. The taking of Daniel and friends along with some of the temple vessels in Jehoiakim’s third year (605 BC) is not mentioned, and the portion that might have covered Jerusalem’s final destruction in 586 BC is not extant.3 Interpretive Insights 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim (609–598 BC) was one of Judah’s worst kings, falling tragically short of the godly lifestyle of his father, Josiah (2 Kings 23:36–24:6; 2 Chron. 36:4–8). Jehoiakim became ...

12. Nabuchadnezzar’s Dream and Daniel's Interpretation

Daniel 2:1-23, Daniel 2:24-49

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... asked for time. By leaving unanswered questions about Daniel’s first appeal to Nebuchadnezzar, the writer not only preserves a sense of mystery but also condenses the narrative in order to move quickly to the central hymn of praise (2:19–23). Theological Insights Three truths about God are embedded in 2:1–16, which are easily discernible from the context. First, without reliable knowledge of the one true God, the most powerful and wealthy king cannot coerce or buy an understanding of God’s work in ...

13. The Story of Abraham versus the Story of Israel

Romans 4:1-25

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... say that Abraham was justified before God by faith, not by works. Indeed, Abraham was a sinner whose only hope was God’s grace received through faith. Thus, Paul’s hermeneutical argument in 4:6–8 reinforces his theological argument in 4:1–5. Theological Insights Several theological insights jump out at the reader of Romans 4:1–8. First, God is no one’s debtor. In other words, no one can live a life exemplary enough to force God’s hand to save them: not Abraham, not David, not Paul, not anyone ...

14. The Reversal of the Deuteronomic Curses and Blessings: Replacing Law with Faith

Romans 9:30--10:21

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... :7; 53:1 and the prophecy of Deut. 32:21); (d) but if Israel repents, God will restore them (Isa. 52:7); yet it is the Gentiles who repent that are being restored to God—the covenant blessings (Isa. 65:1; cf. Deut. 32:21). Interpretive Insights 10:6–8 the righteousness that is by faith. Earlier I discussed this passage with reference to the identification of wisdom. Here I wish to make two further comments. First, 10:6–8 contrasts the righteousness that is from faith with 10:5 and the righteousness ...

15. Marriage, Sexual Intimacy, and Spiritual Devotion

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... 2; 26:10), it would be highly unusual if he was not married at one time. Whether his wife died (7:39) or simply left him when he converted to join the Christ followers (7:15) remains unknown. Nothing hints he ever had any children. Interpretive Insights 7:8 It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. Paul addresses the widowers and the widows with an encouragement to remain unmarried unless they find themselves unable or unwilling to remain sexually abstinent. Paul limits his comments here to a terse ...

16. Punishments for Sin

Leviticus 20:1-27

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... Historical and Cultural Background” at Lev. 18:1–30 and comments at Lev. 18:21) is subject to a double penalty: stoning to death by the human community (v. 2) and being cut off from one’s people by God (v. 3). Cutting off (see “Additional Insights” following the unit on Lev. 6:8–7:38) involves something beyond stoning, such as termination of one’s line of descendants or, more likely, separation from one’s relatives in the afterlife. 20:4–5 if they fail to put him to death, I . . . will ...

17. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... a lion’s pit for execution, a rock is rolled over the opening, after which a clay seal is affixed with the impression of the royal signet ring, as well as those of the high administrators, so that it cannot be removed without being noticed.4 Interpretive Insights 6:10–11 Daniel learned that the decree had been published. This statement links the reader to the narrative of 6:1–9. Having an upstairs room with windows was associated with luxury and status in Israel (Judg. 3:20; 2 Kings 4:8–11; 9:30 ...

18. Witnesses of the New Covenant

Romans 12:1-8

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... justice by the prophets. 2. Paul’s analogy of the body of Christ in 12:4–5 has been much discussed in terms of its background (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12–28; Eph. 4:7–16; Col. 1:18). Seven theories can be delineated (see the “Additional Insights” section after this unit). 3. As a third piece of historical-cultural data, I offer some introductory comments about Paul on the subject of spiritual gifts. There are three key texts on the subject in his writings: Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12–14; Ephesians ...

19. “Weak and Strong” Should Get Along

Romans 14:1--15:13

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... And this is now being fulfilled in Christ. Sixth, “joy” and “peace” describe some of the blessings of the arrival of the new covenant (recall the comments on Rom. 14:17 for the former and on 5:1–5 for the latter regarding the these two terms). Interpretive Insights 15:1–2 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak. Verses 1–6 have as their theme the unity of the strong and the weak as an illustration of the new covenant. We just noted the influence of the new covenant on ...

20. Worthy Is the Lamb Who Was Slain

Revelation 5:1-14

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... i. John sees the sealed scroll in God’s right hand (5:1) ii. The search for someone worthy to open the scroll (5:2–4) iii. Only the Lion-Lamb is worthy to open the scroll (5:5–6) iv. The Lamb takes the scroll (5:7) Interpretive Insights 5:1 a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. The scroll represents God’s redemptive plan to defeat evil once and for all, to rescue his people, and to transform his creation through the victory achieved by Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The ...

21. The New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21:1-27

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... the Lamb illuminate the city (21:23) (3) The gates will never close because night is no more (21:25) (4) The nations will bring their glory into the glorious city (21:24, 26) (5) Only those whose names are in the book of life will enter (21:27) Interpretive Insights 21:22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The temple was such a significant part of Jerusalem that some have described it not as a city with a temple but as a temple with a city ...

22. The Sin Offering

Leviticus 4:1--5:13

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... applies to sins of omission, to offenses due to accident or negligence, and to rash or impulsive acts. It also makes accommodations for the poor by allowing them to substitute either birds or a grain offering in place of the usual female goat or lamb. Interpretive Insights 5:1–6 Three cases illustrate the kind of situation that might require a sin offering. 5:1 If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify. The first case is a sin of omission or ignorance where ...

23. The Priestly Portions of Sacrifices

Lev 6:8–7:38

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... is eaten beyond the second day (v. 18). 7:19 ceremonially unclean . . . ceremonially clean. Only an undefiled fellowship offering can be eaten, and only the ceremonially clean can eat it. Defiled meat must be burned. 7:20–21 cut off from their people. See “Additional Insights” following this unit. 7:22–27 Do not eat any of the fat . . . you must not eat the blood. On “fat,” see comments at Leviticus 3:3–5. The fat of livestock that have died apart from the altar can be used for making ...

24. Blood: Right and Wrong Uses

Leviticus 17:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... to the dogs” (Exod. 22:31). Nonetheless, one can use the fat of carrion for purposes other than eating (Lev. 7:24), and one can sell it to a different category of foreigner (Deut. 14:21) not closely identified with Israel and its covenant. Theological Insights John Stott, in a sermon titled “Why Was Blood So Important?,”7 points out that there is a medical condition known as hemophobia, the inordinate or irrational fear of blood. A certain amount of fear of blood is normal. It is such fear that helps ...

25. Holiness of Priests

Lev 21:1–23:2

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... ” (vv. 10a, 12b), see Exodus 29:5–7; Leviticus 8:5–9, 12, 30. On “unkempt hair” (v. 10b), see Leviticus 10:6; 13:45. Tearing clothes (v. 10c) is an act of mourning (Gen. 37:34). On “I am the Lord” (v. 12c), see “Additional Insights” following the unit on Leviticus 19:1–37. 21:13–15 The woman he marries must be . . . a virgin from his own people. Also to maintain the stricter holiness of the high priesthood, the high priest can marry only a virgin from priestly (or possibly Levitical ...

Showing results